Tuesday, May 07, 2013

Christine Presents: Untellable

Please welcome Suzanne Lilly  author of Untellable.

Suzanne will be awarding a backlist eBook (winner's choice of Shades of the Future, Bad Hair Day, or Rapunzel's Daughters) to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win.


UNTELLABLE
by Suzanne Lilly

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Aspen Dwyer, recently emancipated from foster care, is searching for a place to hide from a past with secrets too dark to share. Honey Creek, Ohio, presents itself as the best place to start a new life and stay undercover. There she meets Colton Moraine, a man with strong family ties and an even stronger sense of loyalty. His boisterous, loving family welcomes Aspen with warmth she hasn’t felt in years. She’s surprised at how quickly and deeply she falls for Colton. When a dangerous criminal comes to Honey Creek, intent on his revenge against her, Aspen must choose between two options. Should she stay and risk her life and the rejection of the people she’s grown to love? Or should she run again, and leave behind any chance of a happy future?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~



EXCERPT: 

He gazed at me long and hard before finally saying, “You’re a little less green around the gills now. You’re sure you’re all right?”

“I’m sure. Now, are you going to let me drive this old tank, or do I have to watch you eat something else?”

“Hmm. Sassy is back. Yep. You’re definitely on the mend.” He stepped out of the cab and walked around the front of the truck, beating a light rhythm on the hood as he came around to the passenger side.

“First of all, put your right foot on the brake. That’s this one.” He touched my right knee. I swiped his fingers off my leg. Colton smiled. “Now slide the gear shift into drive.”

I did as he told me and waited. My hands were slick on the wheel.

He reached down into an ice chest sitting on the floor of the passenger side of the truck and pulled out a pop.

“What are you doing?” I wanted to scream it, but I kept my voice level.

He popped the top on the can. Foam squirted up, and he took a sip to keep it from overflowing.

“I do love my ice cold pop on a hot day,” he commented.

“So what of it?” I rolled my eyes, foot glued to the brake pedal.

“This is what of it.” He balanced the pop can on one knee and placed the other hand on the seat between us. “This is going to be a one can driving lesson.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means that if you spill even one drop of pop on my new Wranglers, your driving lesson is over.”

“You’re not serious.”

He raised the can, tapped its top with his finger, and took another sip, never taking his eyes off me.

I brushed the hair back from my face. “I’m ready.”

“Now take your foot off the brake, and very gently, push on the gas. Remember, this can is almost full.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~



AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Suzanne Lilly writes lighthearted young adult stories with a splash of suspense, a flash of the unexplained, a dash of romance, and always a happy ending. Her short stories have appeared in numerous places online and in print, and she has placed and received honorable mentions in writing contests. Her debut novel was Shades of the Future in 2011 followed by Untellable in 2012. She lives in Northern California where she reads, writes, cooks, swims, and teaches elementary students.

You may find Suzanne Lilly online at these sites:

Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Suzanne-Lilly/e/B006HY79IY

Website: http://www.suzannelilly.com

Blog: http://www.teacherwriter.net

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/SuzanneLillyAuthor

Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5258804.Suzanne_Lilly

Twitter: @suzannelilly http://twitter.com/suzannelilly

Buy links:
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/289280

Turquoise Morning Press: http://www.turquoisemorningpressbookstore.com/products/untellable-by-suzanne-lilly

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Untellable-Honey-Creek-Books-ebook/dp/B00BKTAXHK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361796979&sr=8-1&keywords=untellable+by+suzanne+lilly

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/untellable-suzanne-lilly/1114700545?ean=2940016203263

YouTube Video : http://youtu.be/w01CxugQu9A

Embed code:

Friday, May 03, 2013

Christine Presents: Nameless

Please welcome Clair Kent  author of Nameless

Claire will be awarding a $50 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour and a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn host.


NAMELESS
by Claire Kent

~~~~~~~~~~~~~




They named it anything but love.

After a failed marriage to a domineering man, Erin refuses to be controlled by anything or anyone. That includes Seth, the father of her baby—a man who was supposed to be only a one-night-stand, a man who’s used to always getting his way.

There’s a reason that Seth Thomas, a successful defense attorney, is often referred to as the Bulldozer. If something needs to happen, he makes it happen. That includes being part of his baby’s life—even if he never expected to be a father, even if Erin doesn’t really trust him.

They’ll work out an arrangement in the best interest of their baby—and if they occasionally have sex, well, that’s just an added perk—but they both agree on one thing.

What they have will never be love.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~





Erin frowned.  “Don’t start with that again.  It was just a fluke.  Not evidence of any particular talent of yours in bed.”

“If you say so,” he said with a little smile.  “You want to stay the night?”

Erin thought about it for a minute.  “Nah.  It’s not late yet, so I think I’ll head back to my dad’s.  I’m twenty-six, but he still worries sometimes.”

Seth’s face changed, and a haunted expression replaced the casual amusement.

Swallowing, Erin remembered the funeral he’d attended that day.  She felt a surprising swell of tenderness rise up in her chest.

He glanced over at her and seemed to notice her expression.  Their eyes met, and they shared something in the silent gaze.

Something abstract.  Indescribable.  Powerful.

Then it was gone.

Seth arched his eyebrows.  “Then you’d better go assuage his worries.”

Erin snorted and rolled out of the bed to collect her scattered clothes.  “I can’t believe you can use the word ‘assuage’ after the night we’ve just had.”

He grunted.

Giggling, she started pulling on her clothes.  “That’s more like it.”

When she was fully dressed, she turned back to him.  He sat on the side of the bed watching her—his expression thoughtful and guarded again, despite their light banter just moments before.

She knew what this encounter had been for him: a temporary reprieve, an escape, an interlude not connected in any way to his real world.

Exactly as it had been for her.

“Take care, Seth,” she said softly.

“Thanks.  You too.”

There was nothing else to say.  She felt a tiny clench in her belly.

But she and Seth shared nothing but a night of great sex, and there was no use in pretending that they did.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~



AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Bio:
Claire has been writing romance novels since she was twelve years old. She has a PhD in British literature and, when she's not writing, she teaches English at the university level.

She also writes contemporary romance under the penname Noelle Adams.

Links:
Website: http://clairekent.com/
Facebook (under my other penname Noelle Adams): https://www.facebook.com/NoelleAdamsAuthor
Twitter (under my other penname Noelle Adams):  https://twitter.com/NoelleAdams3
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/wTMd2TBKXVA

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Claire-Kent/e/B00AY1M0F8/
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/claire-kent



Thursday, May 02, 2013

Christine Presents: Blood Destiny Series

Please welcome  author of Blood Destiny.

Helen will award a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.


BLOOD DESTINY SERIES
by Helen Harper

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:


Bloodfire

Mackenzie Smith has always known that she was different. Growing up as the only human in a pack of rural shapeshifters will do that to you, but then couple it with some mean fighting skills and a fiery temper and you end up with a woman that few will dare to cross. However, when the only father figure in her life is brutally murdered, and the dangerous Brethren with their predatory Lord Alpha come to investigate, Mack has to not only ensure the physical safety of her adopted family by hiding her apparent humanity, she also has to seek the blood-soaked vengeance that she craves.

Bloodmagic


After escaping the claws of Corrigan, the Lord Alpha of the Brethren, Mack is trying to lead a quiet lonely life in Inverness in rural Scotland, away from anyone who might happen to be a shapeshifter. However, when she lands a job at an old bookstore owned by a mysterious elderly woman who not only has a familiar passion for herbal lore but also seems to know more than she should, Mack ends up caught in a maelstrom between the Ministry of Mages, the Fae and the Brethren.

Now she has to decide between staying hidden and facing the music, as well as confronting her real feelings for the green eyed power of Corrigan himself.

Bloodrage


Mack begins her training at the mages' academy in the hope that, by complying, the stasis spell will be lifted from her old friend, Mrs. Alcoon. However, once there, she finds herself surrounded by unfriendly adults and petulant teenagers, the majority of whom seem determined to see her fail.

Feeling attacked on all fronts, Mack finds it harder and harder to keep a rein on her temper. Forced to attend anger management classes and deal with the predatory attentions of Corrigan, the Lord Alpha of the shapeshifter world, her emotions start to unravel. But when she comes across a familiar text within the walls of the mages' library, which might just provide the clues she needs to unlock the secrets of her background and her dragon blood, she realises that her problems are only just beginning...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT  from Bloodfire:

My hand finally found what I was looking for when it curved round a cold metal canister.  It never to hurt to come fully prepared.  I pulled out the hydrogen peroxide, twisting it so the nozzle faced the stone, and sprayed a tiny portion onto the black surface.  As soon as the chemical hit the shiny surface it began to foam.  It was definitely blood.  The curling heat inside me rose higher and my insides felt as if they were starting to burn.  The feeling of panic matched the bloodfire but I did my best to push them both back down.  Neither would help me right now.  I put the stone carefully into a side pouch where it wouldn’t get lost.

The moon continued to shine steadily down, casting shadows amongst the heavy trees.  I could hear the distant hooting of a night owl out searching for prey and the skitter of a small animal somewhere nearby.  I ignored them all and concentrated on the signs I could see at my feet.  There was something else there.  Reaching into my pack again, I found my torch, and clicked it on to look closer.

He had been this way.  John was light on his feet and left little trace of his presence but I knew him well and knew this area.  He’d disturbed the bush to my right, brushing past it as he ran.  And judging by the distance between his steps, he’d been running fast, as if something had been after him.  I frowned and arced the torch over the area, first close by then further along the path.  There was something up ahead.  Stepping forward, I tried separately to sense what it might be, but I was no shifter and came up short. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~



AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Helen Harper is an English teacher currently living abroad in Malaysia. As a long time reader of urban fantasy, she finally bit the bullet and began to develop her own series of novels.

Helen has always been a book lover, devouring science fiction and fantasy tales when she was a child growing up in Scotland. "I always loved the escapism provided by those genres," states Helen. "No matter how bad life gets, you can always find a route out, even if only temporarily, in the pages of a good book."

The growth of urban fantasy fascinated her - the mix of reality and fantasy along with strong heroic female characters appealed from the very beginning, and inspired her to write her own.



Twitter: HarperFire

Amazon.com buy links:
Bloodfire

Bloodmagic

Bloodrage




Wednesday, May 01, 2013

Christine Presents: The Talisman




The Talisman by Christine Young
Excerpt Heat Level: 1
Book Heat Level:

Buffalo Creek,
South Dakota
1895

Hot, dry air scorched the prairie grass. Sweat slid along his spine. Danger clung to every whisper; seemed to swirl and grow with each passing second. Ivan Civanovich watched the woman below. With deadly purpose, he studied the lady who had hired him--the woman who had bought his gun and perhaps death.
"Reckless courage," Ivan mused.
"Si Senor, she does have what you call a great courage, but I don’t know about the reckless part. She is always so very careful," Pedro said.
"I’m a dangerous man, Pedro."
"This is why she hired you."
"The lady has no business hiring men like me. She’s a woman. She is supposed to nurture lives."
"She needs you to keep the bad men from taking the land away--our home," Pedro said.
Ivan pushed the tip of his hat back from his brows. From his vantage point, he considered the woman while she hung the freshly laundered white sheets on the line. A strange shudder swept through him, his muscles tensing with the sudden feeling he knew this woman, had known her forever. The sensations were too strong, the feelings too acute, and it troubled him because knowing her was impossible.
Her hair, a wild mop of red curls, battled with the stiff, hot wind rising off the prairie. The breeze and her hair flowed in undulating currents between the lines, threatening to tangle themselves in the wire. She bent over at the waist, giving him a perfect view of her backside while she toyed with something on the ground. Seconds later she picked up the object of her curiosity, turned it over in her hands then tossed it aside.
He didn’t like to think about what could happen to her in the next few weeks. She’d advertised for a gun for a hire. She didn’t know what she bargained for, and he’d bet his inheritance she didn’t have any idea what kind of trouble she’d purchased.
When she looked up the hill, his grin widened. She couldn’t see him, but her shoulders tensed and she sucked air. Her hand touched her forehead, shielding her eyes from the blinding sunlight. She scanned the horizon, turning a complete circle before she stopped.
"Good," he said, "she is cautious."
"She knows someone is up here," Pedro announced.
"She’s got more starch in her drawers and the stiffest backbone of any woman I’ve ever seen." Ivan whistled through his teeth, his eyes intent and focused upon the woman.
"Si." Pedro agreed. "She sure enough does but her heart is made of spun gold."
Ivan wiped the back of his hand across his forehead. Beads of sweat dripped down his back. His gaze swept across the barren landscape then followed the line of trees that bordered the creek. He lifted the glasses to his eyes and turned his attention to a spot about a mile north of her ranch. The railroad wanted easement rights. So why wouldn’t she sell to them. "Spun gold, huh." He dropped the binoculars, letting them dangle from their strap around his neck.
"Si, boss."
"I see." Ivan leaned forward, resting his forearm on the saddle horn.
Ivan wasn’t sure he understood. Women had a lot of fine qualities, many of which he didn’t want to live without but a soft, feminine heart shouldn’t be deciding life and death matters.
Spun gold. No, he’d never met a female with a heart of gold, spun or otherwise. He’d never known a woman who wouldn’t betray a man for a piece of gold. Save one, he amended, and his best friend had married her. Alexi Popov had his trials too. He had kidnapped Angela and spirited her away to his home in the Crimea. In the end though, he gave up his title, his land, and most of his wealth for Angela. He followed her back to America and married her.



This is a wonderful tale, full of action, emotion and a bit mystical at times. Enjoy this one.

Maura
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More  4 Cups